


Challenge Diem

by ZodiacBiologist



Series: Campus Diem [9]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, College, F/M, Future Fic, LARPing, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23883673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZodiacBiologist/pseuds/ZodiacBiologist
Summary: Set before 'Christmas With Nerris Diem'. Harrison has a very important question for Nerris' parents. They have a challenge for him.What could possibly happen?
Relationships: Harrison/Nerris (Camp Camp)
Series: Campus Diem [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/823053
Kudos: 16





	Challenge Diem

"Alright, you got us all here, what's the news?" Max sat at Harrison's desk, picking at the tab of his beer can; His patience was beginning to wear thin. 

Had it not been 7am on a Saturday, Max wouldn't have minded being dragged out of his bed for a beer, but this was ridiculous. Preston, Nurf, and Ered seemed even less amused than Max, watching Harrison paced down the center of the room. 

Whatever he called them together for must've been on his mind all night because he looked like he hardly slept. 

"Guys...I got this crazy idea." Harrison started, shoving his hands in his pockets, as if it would hide the slight shaking wracking his body. That definitely had his friends lean in just a bit.

"Nothing could be as crazy as that tattoo you got last month." Ered shot, leaning to grab one of Preston's pillows to hold. 

There was a pause as the statement seemed to settle Harrison's nerves a touch. If his friends had been on board for THAT endeavor, they'd certainly be on board for this. Taking a breath, Harrison looked up more confidently,

"I'm going to propose to Nerris."

Max finally cracked open his beer, raised the can toward Harrison, then took a sip, "About fucking time, man. Can I go back to bed now?"

"Wait! Details, man! What's your plan?" Preston shot up from his desk, nearly knocking over his own drink. If there was anything Preston loved, it was details. 

Harrison rubbed the back of his neck, bracing himself for however Preston reacted to the disappointing truth, "I, uh, I'm not sure yet...I wanted to talk to her parents first…"

Much to his surprise, instead of a sudden riot, he was met with a collective 'awe', smiles spreading across his friends' faces (except for Max).

"That's precious," Nurf said, wiping away a tear, "So few still follow tradition these days."

"You definitely have our support, Harrison." Preston said proudly, settling back in his chair. The others nodded in collective agreement. 

Not even an hour later, Harrison was off on the four hour drive to Nerris' house. Truthfully, he would have done this right after their shared weekend at Max's house, though he never could find enough time away from Nerris to talk to her parents alone. While he loved her company and would probably cease to exist if she ever left him, it made keeping secrets from her hard. 

Lucky for Harrison, a lacrosse tournament has Nerris several states away for the weekend, meaning he could finally make the trip without her being suspicious of anything. 

Pulling up to the house, Harrison suddenly found his confidence dwindling. Whatever answer they were about to give him would be the answer he'd have to drive home with. What if they said no? Was there anything worse than that?

"Well...I mean death could be worse...Oh god, I'm talking to myself." Harrison groaned, tilting his head back to rest against the headrest. Maybe this was a bad ide-

"Harrison!" Nerris' dad all but yelled from the front porch, running up to the boy's car, excitement written all over his face. Harrison hardly had time to open his car door before he was wrapped up in a hug.

"H-hey! How's it going?" Harrison tried to sound casual while feeling like he could involuntarily disappear at any second from nerves. Nerris' dad let him go to look him over, a slight concern taking over. 

"Something wrong?" He put his hands on his hips, giving him a bit more of an intimidating air, which said a lot considering his usual ridiculous Larping attire. 

Harris was about to answer when Nerris' mother exited the house, "Hey, Harrison, what brings you here?" Her gentle voice seemed to have even more of an effect on Harrison, as he began to seriously consider disappearing. Her parents were so nice to him; What if he ruined that by asking to marry their only child?

He didn't have much time to dwell on that as he was quickly ushered into the house, a plate of cookies was already waiting for him. He settled into an armchair, with Nerris' parents sitting on the couch in front of him, friendly smiles on their faces. They seemed legitimately pleased to have him over. 

"I got your text this morning; what did you want to talk about?" Nerris' mother asked, reaching for a cookie. Perfect. If she was chewing on something, she wouldn't be able to yell at him!"

"I, uh...I actually have a question." Harrison said, folding his hands in his lap, then going quiet. Nerris' parents exchanged a glance.

"Sure thing, bud." Nerris' dad smiled, leaning in to show interest, that unwavering smile on his face. 

Here goes…

"I want to marry your daughter." After nearly four hours of rehearsal and Harrison still managed to fuck it up. His statement was way too blunt. There was absolutely no way they'd give him their blessing now-

"I knew this day would come." Nerris' dad said flatly, standing up from the couch. Nerris' mother grabbed his hand,

"Honey, don't do this…"

"Do what?" Harrison asked shyly, trying to ward off the sinking feeling he was getting. 

Nerris father left the room, heading straight for the hall closet like a bat out of Hell. This was it. This was how Harrison died; murdered by a man in a wizard hat-

Scratch that, murdered by a man in a wizard hat, holding a hockey stick. 

Alright, now shit was getting weird. Tossing the hockey stick at Harrison, Nerris' father pointed a small foam bat threateningly toward the boy, "In order to win the hand of Nerris the cute, you must beat me in a duel!"

"Are you fucking kidding me?"  
_________________________________

There was some real irony here as Harrison now stood in Nerris' backyard, trying to hold the hockey stick as tight as he could. Had it not been for the summers at camp spent dueling with Nerris, mostly against his will, he would have just left. But all those years with her had trained him for this moment. 

However weird this moment might be. 

Nerris' mom stood between the two men, looking less confused, but equally as annoyed as Harrison felt deep down, "For the hand of Nerris the cute."

The woman raised a tissue before letting in blow away in the wind. Once it had blown out of sight, she stepped out of the way, signaling the start of the duel. 

If Harrison had learned anything from Nerris, it was block first, hit later. With that in mind, he held his hockey stick in front of his body, effortlessly catching the bat before it hit him.

"So, you want to marry my daughter!?" Nerris' father shouted, trying to sound as angry as possible, though Harrison easily saw through it. 

Dodging another blow, this one aimed at his shoulder, Harrison scrambled backwards to gain some distance, "Yes! Hasn't that been obvious?"

Nerris' dad quickly lunged back into his personal space, though an uneven patch in the lawn sent him tumbling away from the boy. The older man jumped up quickly, aiming his bat back at Harrison, "And why should I allow it?"

Taking his own defensive stance, Harris found his confidence growing. In Larping terms, the hand of Nerris the Cute already belonged to him; he didn't have to defend that from anyone. What he did have to do, however, was prove it. If it meant beating her dad in an honestly stupid duel, why wouldn't he? Hell, he would've jumped into an active volcano for her.

Quickly stepping away from an attempted jab, Harrison finally swung at Nerris' dad, "I love her...I always have, way back during a time where I didn't even love myself. She was the first person I met who wasn't afraid of my powers." 

The next few attempts at a hit were dodge with the sort of grace Harrison moved about the coffee shop with, each move smooth, almost like magic in a way. Nerris' dad let up slightly, allowing enough space between him and Harrison that there wasn't much of a threat; He was giving Harrison time to talk.

"We hadn't seen each other in probably three years and it was probably the loneliest three years of my life...but I held onto the fact that if she didn't think my powers made me a freak, maybe there were more people out there like her. But nobody in this world will ever be like Nerris… no one is as smart or adventurous or...cute as her." 

Harrison stopped to lean on his hockey stick, letting whatever he thought pour out of him in probably the most authentic speech he ever gave in his life, "Seeing her again after three years dug up all those feelings of...I dunno...belonging? Nothing mattered because I had her back! And all she wanted after that was for me to be my best again; she wanted me to stop smoking, she wanted me to start using my powers again...she still didn't think I was a freak and-"

Harrison was cut off by the sound of a bat hitting the ground between him and Nerris' father. The older of the two men kneeled in the grass, holding up his arms in defeat, "Take the final hit, son."

"W-what? No! I'm not hitting you, man." Harrison pulled the hockey stick just a bit closer to his body. 

"You have to beat me. It's the only way." Nerris' dad closed his eyes, bracing for the hit. 

"What the fuck, man-"

"Do you want to marry my daughter or not?" Nerris' mother called, watching intently from her patio chair. 

Harrison exhaled sharply, "Alright, fine...uh, here." 

With careful aim, Harrison thunked Nerris' dad on the head as gently as he could with a hockey stick. The older man toppled over in mock death, waiting for his wife to announce the winner. 

"Harrison the Illusionist, you may now have the hand of Nerris the cute. You may now hug your in-laws."

As quickly as he had "died", Nerris' father quickly pulled Harrison and his wife into a hug, his earlier excitement returning full force. 

"Hope there's no hard feelings, Harrison. I'm just preparing you for married life with Nerris." The older man put a hand on Harrison's shoulder, unable to contain his smile. Even Nerris' mother seemed genuinely happy now that the duel was over. 

Harrison let a smirk settle on his face. Hey, if this was married life with Nerris, he would gladly take it. 

"Alright, future son-in-law, let's go have lunch before you go." Nerris' mom headed inside, waving the men in from the door. 

Harrison followed behind eagerly, mind racing with his plans for the future.  
_________________________________

The door to the dorm had hardly opened when Harrison found a beer being pressed into his hands. Max, Preston, Nurf, Ered, and Nikki stood in front of him, Space Man, Neil, and Dolph on a video call from a laptop on his desk.

"Well?" Max asked.

Harrison smirked, casually opening his drink and taking a sip.

"The anticipation is literally going to kill me!" Nikki grabbed onto her ponytail.

"How'd it go?" Space Man asked. 

Harrison moved into the dorm, shutting the door behind him, "It went just about as well as any duel with a guy in a wizard hat; I won."


End file.
